Switchboard enclosure with interconnecting wiring channels



Aug. 31, 1954 R. P. HOLLAND 2,633,109

swi'rcnsozmo ENCLOSURE wrm INTERCONNECTING WIRING CHANNELS Filed Oct. 29, 1951 2 Sheets-Shem l Patented Aug. 31, 1954 SWITCHBOARD ENCLOSURE WITH INTER- C ONNECTING WIRING CHANNELS Roy P. Holland, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application October 29, 1951, Serial No. 253,713

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to switchboards and more particularly to switchboards of the cubicle type in which most of the wiring is concealed.

Many attempts have been made to provide steel switchboards of the concealed Wire cubicle type which are suitable for adoption as a standard construction. However, a majority of the prior art attempts at this type of standardization have been unsuccessful because of the failure to reduce the various sizes and types of switchboards to certain standard parts which remain the same regardless of the physical dimensions of the switchboard or cubicle. By not utilizing standard elements in the construction of steel switchboards, manufacturers had to make a complete set of drawings for each job in order that the units could be shop assembled. Thus, it is apparent that such a procedure requires the expenditure of a large'amount of money for the making of drawings for each order received for a new switchboard or cubicle, even though it may be of a type previously constructed but of different dimensions.

In accordance with this invention a new and improved switchboard cubicle is provided which has a plurality of spaced upright members provided with flange forming channel members. Sheet metal panel members are mounted on the spaced upright members to form the walls of the cubicle. The top of the cubicle is a one piece metal member which is supported by the spaced upright members and formed to provide a pair of cross channel members. These cross channel members are arranged to interconnect with the upright flange channel members to provide two passageways up one wall of the cubicle and across the top thereof and down another Wall of the cubicle. An interconnecting channel may be arranged across the top of the cubicle transversely of the cross channel membersto provide a way for communication between the two passageways. A number of these unit switchboard structures may be interlocked or fitted together to form a multisection switchboard structure.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new and improved switchboard cubicle which may be economically designed and readily manufactured and installed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved switchboard cubicle in which standard elements of different shapes may be utilized to construct switchboard cubicles of vara new and improved switchboard cubicle in which the cubicle walls and top are formed to provide channels which are adapted to contain conductors to be connected to the electrical control equipment mounted on the switchboard.

Objects and advantages other than those above set forth will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a view, in perspective, of a portion of a switchboard structure constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial side View of the switchboard structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line III-III in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the line VV in Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the switchboard structure illustrated in Fig. 1 with door and side panels added; and

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional View taken along the line VIIVII in Fig. 6 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawing by characters of reference, Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, illustrate the framework, front panels and top of a two cell cubicle of a multicell switchboard device. The framework shown for one cell comprises two pairs of spaced metal upright frame members ll, [2 and I3, [4, each having flanges 2| forming channels [5. The upright members are mounted on U-shaped steel members [6, I! and when enclosed by metal panel members l8 and I9 and a top member 20 form a cubicle. Flanges 2| are provided with a plurality of apertures 22 arranged along the length thereof.

The top member 20 of each cell comprises a single piece of metal such as sheet steel formed, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, to provide two channel cross members 25. The top is supported by the upright frame members ll, 12 and l3, l4 and is so arranged that the cross channel members 25 connect with channels l5 to provide passageways up one wall which may be the back of the cubicle and across the top thereof and down another wall which may be the front of the cubicle. Thus, wires 26 connected to a switch or other electrical control element 2'! may be threaded through apertures 22 and up the channel l across the top of the cubicle by passing through cross channel members 25 and down channel I5 formed in the opposite upright member forming a part of the front of the cubicle and out apertures 22 to another electrical device. The walls are removable from the upright frame'members without disturbing channel I5 which forms part of the passageway up the wall of the cubicle.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a single cell may be combined with other cells to provide a multicell This is accomplished by securing up cubicle. right frame members II and I2 and I3 and M of two adjacent cells together. Wires or conductors in channel of upright frame member 12 may be threaded into channel It of frame member H through axially aligned apertures 30 provided in frame members H and I2. Apertures 3B .are also axially aligned in frame members is and It so that wires or conductors may be threaded from channel l5 of frame member is to channel i5 of frame member It.

In order to thread wires or conductors between non-adjacent channels and to conceal the interconnecting wires, a cross passageway 31 is provided which is defined by a U-shaped interconnecting channel means or member 32 mounted to connect intermediate points of the cross channel members 25. Thus, if openings 33 are provided in cross channel members 25, wires may be threaded from one channel [5 up the wall of its cell, across the top to passageway 3i formed by U-shaped channel member 32 and through passageway 3] to any other cell in the multicell cubicle. The wire is substantially hidden or concealed or contained except at its entrance to channel l5 in one cell and its exit from channel I5 in another cell.

Switchboard cubicles as shown and described are usually provided with a swinging panel or door 34 (as shown in Figs. 6 and 7) arranged on one oron both ends of the cubicle to permit ready access to the interior of the cubicle. Right angle members 35 may be added to the structure, if desirable, to aid in handling the cubicle.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the structure described has numerous ad-- vantages over previously known switchboard structures. Since it is possible to produce the parts in large quantities, because of their wide application in switchboards of various types, and

in view of the general simplification of the manner in which they may be fitted or interlocked together, the cost of producing steel switchboard structures can be materially reduced. Furthermore, large savings can be realized by the use of coded drawings and typical steel assembly drawings which can be prepared for cubicles of any certain type, but varied as to dimensions, thereby making it unnecessary .to prepare complete drawings of the steel assemblies for each individual order as has been the previous practice among switchboard manufacturers.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A switchboard cubicle comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced metal upright frame members having flanges thereon forming channels, sheet metal panel members mounted on said frame members for-providing walls of said cubicle, single piece sheet metal top members .each supported by and extending between pairs of opposite upright frame members, each said single piece sheet metal top member bein bent at ninety degrees along six parallel lines to form all four sides of each of two channel cross members which interconnect with said flange forming channels of opposite upright frame members to provide passageways up one wall of said cubicle and across the top thereof anddown another wall of said cubicle, and U-shaped interconnecting channel means which is arranged transversely of intermediate points of said cross members to provide passagewaysextending between and interconnecting said cross channel members.

2. A switchboard cubicle comprising spaced metal upright frame members having flanges thereon forming channels, sheet metal panel members mounted on said frame members for forming walls of said cubicle, and a single piece sheet metal top member supported by and extendin between said upright frame members, each said single piece sheet metal top member bein bent at ninety degrees along six parallel lines to form all four sides of each of two channel crossmembers which have horizontal bottom webs and are arranged substantially perpendicular .to said frame members and interconnect with said flanges of said upright frame members to provide passageways up one wall of said cubiole and across the top thereof and down another Wall of said cubicle, and U-shaped interconnecting. channel means which are arranged transversely of intermediate points of said cross members, said channel means having bottom webs at the same level as the bottom webs of said channel cross members to provide passageways extending between and interconnecting said channel cross members.

3. A switchboard cubicle comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced metal upright frame members having flanges thereon forming channels, sheet metal panel members mounted on said frame members for providing walls of said cubicle, and single piece sheet metal top members each supported by and extending between pairs of Opposite upright frame members, each said single piece sheet metal top member being bent at ninety degrees along six parallel lines .to form all four sides of each of two channel cross'members which interconnect with said flange forming channels of opposite upright frame members to provide passageways u one wall of said cubicle and across the top thereof and down another wall of said cubicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1 Name Date 2,140,376 Anderson Dec. 13,1938- 2,467,828 Hodgkins Apr. 19,.1949 2,567,740 Smith .Sept. 11, 1951 

